1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains generally to feeding enclosures for cats and, more particularly, to a cat feeding enclosure that allows a cat to freely access food within the feeding enclosure while preventing a dog from accessing the food within the feeding enclosure.
2. Brief Discussion of the Related Art
The ownership of cats and/or dogs has become very popular on a widespread basis. Many people derive great pleasure from animal companionship, and research studies have concluded that the companionship of dogs and/or cats provides many various emotional and physical benefits to humans. A large percentage of households maintain at least one dog and/or one cat. By some estimates, more than 20 percent of households in the United States alone maintain both a dog and a cat. The number of people owning pets, especially dogs and cats, is expected to continue to increase, as is the amount of money that pet owners expend on the health, welfare and enjoyment of their pets. The pet supply industry has thusly become a booming business as the ever increasing number of pet owners seek products that promote the health, welfare and enjoyment of their pets, and of dogs and cats in particular.
It is customary for dogs and cats to eat and drink from food and water dishes or bowls placed on the floor. In homes where both a dog and a cat reside, it is a common problem for the dog to attempt to consume any food that is available in the cat's food dish or bowl. When the dog and cat are fed at or about the same time, it is common for the dog to develop the habit of quickly consuming its own food, and then seeking out the cat's food dish in order to consume any cat food therein. Because cats tend to be picky and finicky eaters who do not quickly consume all of the food provided to them at feeding time, the dog usually finds some cat food in the cat's food dish for the dog to consume, which serves to reinforce the dog's behavior. Even if the cat is fed at a different feeding time from the dog, the dog will still ordinarily habitually seek out the cat's food dish in order to consume the cat food therein. The dog's urge to consume the cat's food is very powerful, since dogs are generally highly attracted to cat food because of its higher fat, protein and caloric content, as well as its smell.
The cat and the dog both suffer because of the above-described problem. Cat food and dog food are specifically formulated to meet the different nutritional needs of the different species, making it undesirable for the dog to consume the cat's food. Dogs that regularly consume cat food may experience kidney ailments, urinary ailments, and/or gastrointestinal ailments such as diarrhea and vomiting. Dogs that consume cat food in addition to their own dog food may become overweight, resulting in the various health problems typically associated with canine overweight and obesity. Dogs that eat their own food quickly in a rush to seek out the cat's food may experience bloat, which can be a potentially life-threatening condition. Some cat foods contain prescription ingredients that may be particularly undesirable for consumption by dogs.
On the other hand, the cat that has its food consumed by the dog may be deprived of a sufficient quantity of food and may experience nutritional deficiencies and/or weight loss. When the cat's food contains prescription ingredients, the cat will also be deprived of the prescription ingredients. The dog's consumption of the cat's food may prevent the cat from following its natural preference to “graze,” or to eat small quantities of food at will frequently throughout the day, despite the owner providing enough food in the cat's dish at feeding time to be available to the cat for at least a significant portion of the day.
Pet owners who maintain dogs and cats in the same household are often negatively affected by the problem of dogs eating or attempting to eat the cat's food. The pet owner is often left not knowing whether the dog and the cat are consuming the correct food and the appropriate amount of food. This uncertainty can create stress for the many pet owners who are concerned about the health and nutrition of their pets. When the problem results in health issues for the dog and/or the cat, the owner must usually bear financial and logistical responsibility for the animal's veterinary or medical treatment. Where the pet owner addresses the problem by replenishing the cat's food dish with additional food to compensate for that eaten by the dog, there may be an appreciable financial impact as cat food, especially prescription cat food, can be quite expensive.
Currently, a limited number of disadvantageous approaches are available to pet owners to deal with the problem of a dog eating or attempting to eat a cat's food. The problem can simply be ignored, or it can be addressed by providing the cat with additional food to compensate for what the dog has eaten. As pointed out above, each of these approaches potentially holds significant negative consequences for the cat, the dog and the pet owner. Another approach involves placing the cat's food dish in a location inaccessible to the dog, most typically upon an elevated surface such as a table or counter. This approach, too, is disadvantageous and/or may be ineffective. Many pet owners prefer to train their cat not to walk upon surfaces such as tables and counters. In addition, not all cats are naturally inclined toward jumping, and older and/or physically infirm cats may deliberately avoid jumping due to their physical condition, resulting in the cat avoiding the elevated surface and failing to eat a sufficient quantity of food. Furthermore, it is possible for many larger dogs to reach a cat food dish placed upon a standard height table or counter surface. The most effective approach to the problem involves isolating the dog and cat from one another by confining them to separate living areas using physical barriers. Most typically, the dog and cat will be kept in separate rooms, with access between the rooms prevented by closing a door between the rooms or by a conventional pet or baby gate mounted in a doorway between the rooms. The presence and use of conventional gates can be a nuisance to people residing in the household and, in addition, such gates can be a safety hazard due to people straddling over closed gates in order to avoid having to open and close them according to their intended operation. Moreover, it is possible for larger size dogs and/or dogs that are good jumpers to scale the gates and gain access to the cat's living area. Another drawback to isolating the cat and dog from one another is that the cat and dog are deprived of the opportunity for frequent interaction with each other that may be essential for the development of mutual acceptance, such that the cat and dog may not get along with one another on occasions when they are allowed to comingle. A lack of harmony between a dog and a cat within a household can create unpleasantness for the animals as well as the human residents of the household and stands in contrast to the enjoyment that the animals and humans alike experience when the dog and the cat cohabitate in harmony.
It is seen from the above that the need exists for a device that would prevent a dog from gaining access to a cat's food dish while allowing the cat to freely access the food dish on demand, without requiring that the cat food dish be placed on an elevated surface and without requiring forced confinement of the dog and cat to separate living areas.